All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

from goodreads

3.75 stars

Sometimes, when the children are asleep and my husband and I are talking, we think of occupations that might be fun to try, or occupations that we would not want to do in a million years, even if the money was excellent. Doctors and vets are two jobs that we have no aspirations to ever try. Don't get me wrong, we are very glad that other people have chosen the noble professions and that they are there for us to use. But, both my husband and I don't want to have to put our hands or fingers up anyone's rectum. No thank you. Now, we aren't that squeamish. After having kids bodily fluids don't really affect me too much, but I'll be had if I'm going to put anything up someone's rectum. Reading Herriot has once again reinforced the fact that I like my hands and it's digits where I can see them. So for those who are doctors and vets, my hat goes off to you.

Synopsis

James Herriot recounts the days when he is newly graduated from vet school and has landed a job working in the Yorkshire dales. He tells about animals he's helped, bosses he has dealt with and farmers who he tries to please.

My Thoughts

This was an entertaining read, though not as entertaining as I remember All Things Bright and Beautiful as being. I read All Things Bright and Beautiful in high school for a class assignment and I remember myself laughing aloud a lot. While interesting things happened in All Creatures Great and Small it didn't hook me as much as the other one and I guess I just wasn't as amused. Perhaps if I reread All Things Bright and Beautiful I would change my mind about it. I don't know?

What is great about this book is how it transports you to a different time and era. It seems to be a simple time, a quaint time. Yet even though things were so different the types of people remain the same. There is the boss who doesn't listen or act promptly when you tell him something and then all of the sudden it is your fault if the thing you warned about goes wrong. There are the pompous people who think they know better, or know of an uncle or cousin who would have known better. There are the humble who though have meager circumstances yet are so thoughtful and giving. And then you have the crazy rich ladies who have stationary for their pets. This could have been set in almost any location around the world and you probably would have a similar cast of characters.

This book covered the courtship with his wife Helen. That is something we all can relate to. The awkward first stages, the courage to ask them out, the wishing to show off or please them. The disastrous dates and then the great redemption when you are just yourself. He probably wasn't laughing about it back when it happened but it is nice when you can laugh about it years later.

A friend of ours is a large animal vet. While reading about Herriot's dealings with cows and horses, it made me think of my friend and wonder how similarly he does things now. In Herriot's time there weren't a large array of antibiotics or other medications. Often they used random elixirs and hoped for the best. If an animal was birthing he had to stick his hand in and have a feel. Now my friend has ultrasound machines, and arsenal of medications that can be used. He still has some great stories to tell and his wife is encouraging him to write them down.

One thing I was amazed at while I was reading was how they didn't get into any accidents with the driving after drinking, having cars with bad tires and not always functioning brakes and crazy roads. Someone must have been looking out for him.

So, while this book did not inspire me to want to be a vet in the slightest it did inspire me to live a simple life and take joy in the scenery around me.